Top.



s H. LAW," s11.

- TOP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

ame'wto u a minimum of friction.

SAMUEL H. LAW, SR., OF

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TOP.

Application filed August 16,

To all whom it may concern: J

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. LAW, S12, citizen of the United States, residing at i Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tops and particularly to a top so constructed that the greatest weight of the top is carried below the pivotal point thereof, thus acting to keep the top in equilibrium, and thus permitting the top to spin for a relativelylong time without any tendency to wabbling and with The objects of the invention are to provide a top of the character above stated wherein the pivot upon which the top turns is contained within the body of the top; wherein the top is of extremely simple construction, easily manufactured and not liable to any damage by falling, the exterior surface of the top being of such character that no impediment is presented to the continued movement of the top.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of my top; Fig. 2 is a diametrical section thereof; and, Fig. 3 is a diametrical section showing a modified form of top.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by .the same reference characters.

Referring to these figures, 2 designates the upper plate of the top which is preferably made of sheet metal and has a downwardly extending annular flange 3. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

center of the top plate 2 is provided with an upwardly extending knurled stud 4, while the under face of the plate immedi r ately beneath the stud and, of course, at the center of the plate, is provided with a downwardly extending pivot pin 5 which may be attached to the top plate in any suitable manner, as by soldering. Carried just within the downwardly extending flange 3 is the weight ring 6 which is made of lead or any other relatively heavy material.

Holding this ring in place is the bottom plate 7 whose upwardly turned flange Patented Mar. 22, 191-).

1809. Serial No. 513,120.

8 is inserted between the downwardly extending flange 3 of the plate 2 and the weight ring 6. This plate 7 is cut out at its center, as at 9, the margin of the plate around the cut out portion being upwardly inclined or beveled. This prevents a cutting edge being presented at the margin of the opening which would be liable to cut the fingers of the user. It also strengthens the lower plate 7 and acts to prevent any chance of the lower plate being dented or bent along the margin of the opening. As a support for the top I provide the base 10, having thereon the upwardly projecting post 11, whose base is slightly tapered at its upper end and formed with a socket 12.

WVhile I have shown the socket as formed in the base and the pivot pin 5 as being attached to the under face of the plate 2, I wish it understood that I might reverse this construction and place the pivot pin upon the post 11 and attach a socket to the under side of the plate 2. This construction is shown in Fig. 3, wherein 13 designates the socket attached to the under side of the plate 2, while 14 shows the upwardly projecting pivot pin on the upper end of the post 11.

The operation of my invention will be obvious. The top is placed upon the post with its pivot pin extending into the socket. The operator then rotates the knurled head or stud 4, thus giving a rotation to the body of the top. As the top is accurately balanced by the ring 6 and as the weight upon the circumferential margin of the top extends below the pivotal point of the top, it will be obvious that the top will run for a considerably longer time without wabbling than if the weight was located above the spinning point of the top.

I have found in practice that a top of the construction described with the weight distributed, as shown, will spin for thirty minutes under a proper initial impetus. It will, of course, be obvious that the friction of the pin against the hardened socket in the post is extremely slight, and that the weight being located at such a distance from the pivotal point acts as a fly wheel to keep the top rotating after it has started. The arrangement also admits the straightening of the top after the initial impetus has been given without materially checking its speed, thus any wabbling of the top may be counteracted. The top is intended to be ornamented in any desired manner, as by rings of color extending concentrically around the central stud 4.

One of the many advantages of the top is that the pivot pin is carried within the body of the top and therefore the top may be laid down upon a table or other surface without marring the latter, and the top may be handled without the fingers of the operator becoming scratched upon the pin or cut by contact with the thin edge of the bottom plate 7. The ring 6 not only places the weight at the proper distance with relation to the pivotal point of the top, but it also acts as a brace or reinforce preventing any deformation of the rim of the top. This is practically necessary with a sheet metal top, as otherwise the metal would be very liable to become dented or bent, thus the top has a life much longer than tops of more or less like construction.

The top structure, as before described, is made of light sheet metal, therefore may be cheaply constructed. It is a true circle and has no projections on its exterior to retard its spinning, therefore the top turns on the pivotal point with scarcely any friction. The form of the top is such as to occasion a minimum of resistance by the air and the construction is such that the plates forming the body of the top may be cheaply struck out and cheaply assembled.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a pedestal having a bearing end, of a top rotatable thereon comprising a circular body plate having a bearing member on its under side adapted to be pivotally supported on the bearing member of the pedestal, said body plate having a rigid actuating stud on its upper face and a circumferential downwardly extending flange upon its margin, an annular bottom plate having an upturned circumferential flange fitting within the downwardly extending flange of the body plate, and a weight ring mounted between the two plates at the circumference thereof, said ring depending below the pivotal supporting point of the body plate.

2. The combination with a pedestal having an upwardly projecting socket at its upper end, of a top rotatable thereon comprising a circular plate having a downwardly projecting supporting pin mounted at the center of its under side and adapted to be supported in the socket on the pedestal, said plate having on its upper face a rigid actuating stud and the circumference of the plate having a downwardly extending flange, an annular bottom plate having an upturned circumferential flange fitting within the flange of the body plate, and a weight ring mounted between the two plates at the circumference thereof.

8. The combination with a pedestal having a socket at its upper end, of a top for rotation thereon comprising a circular body plate having a rigid actuating stud on its upper face and a downwardly extending pivot pin at the center of its lower face, said body plate having a circumferential depending flange, an annular bottom plate having an upturned circumferential flange fitting into the flange of the body plate, the inner margin of the bottom plate being upwardly inclined, and a weight ring carried between the two plates and rigidly attached thereto, said weight ring being of such width as to depend below the pivotal point of the body plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL H. LAW, SR.

Witnesses FREDERICK I. DRivEu, BENJAMIN H. FAY. 

